Mighty statement made on special evening in the Park

WEXFORD WOULD love to experience the feeling of winning a provincial title. A mighty statement was made at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday evening, making everyone sit up and take notice with the manner of their victory over reigning Leinster champions Kilkenny.

The championship gloom of so many years was banished, setting in motion the prospect of a provincial final victory, but Wexford still have to think of a mighty task ahed of them against the winners of the second penultimate round tie between Galway and Offaly.

On Saturday evening Wexford were up against one of the most powerful hurling forces the game has ever known. Given their record of the past 15 years, few would have been prompted to believe this was a Kilkenny side beginning to fade.

It appeared that Brian Cody was continuing his rebuilding process, and despite the league outcome they were the bookies’ clear favourites going into this game.

With Davy Fitzgerald banished to the stand, sitting out the final game of his two-game suspension, the plans were still well laid, knowing what to do and how to meet the Kilkenny challenge.

But while struck with an opening-minute T.J. Reid goal from a penalty, certainly the Wexford gameplan was now needed more than ever, but there was relief on the face of supporters as they battled back with five successive points. Wexford refused to be cowed and were never headed for the remainder of the game.

This was a superb effort with one moment standing out more than others. That was Lee Chin’s superb fetch and inspirational point to follow, at a period of the second-half when Kilkenny had reduced a seven-point deficit to the minimum, and looked most threatening.

Wexford ticked the boxes and pegged back their highly-vaunted opponents with ruthless efficiency, with attack being their most powerful weapon as they rolled forward for the crucial points.

Sitting in his specially-constructed perch high in the stand, Davy Fitzgerald must have been proud to see so many players put their hands up and take on the responsibility, suffocating the Kilkenny challenge in the process.

It announced the arrival of this Wexford team. The championship is certainly up and running and most certainly will lead to an exodus from the Model county along the N11 on Sunday, July 2, for headquarters.

When Liam Dunne finished his five-year reign at the helm, Wexford had a mighty call to make, as any appointment would determine the future of Wexford hurling. Wexford Chairman at the time, Diarmuid Devereux, had a good idea of what was needed to steer the county into the top six, the elite of hurling.

Once Davy Fitzgerald became available he began a relentless pursuit of the former Clare manager. The influence of Devereux was pivotal in securing the services of Fitzgerald, which has been acknowledged on more than one occasion by the man himself.

He was was driven to take the post by the inspirational talk of the then Chairman, who exhorted him to give it a go, with a timeframe of some two to three years to bring the county back to the elite of hurling.

Fitzgerald has consistently said that but for Devereux he would not be in Wexford. He’s the first to put his hands up and acknowledge the crucial role played by Devereux in his arrival in the Model county.

Now one can safely say the championship is up and running and we are all looking forward to a return to Croke Park where we received such a hiding from Dublin just twelve months back.

How Wexford hurling has been transformed under the guidance of the Fitzgerald/Devereux axis. The support base is also back as one witnessed with the moving scenes at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday evening.

Devereux could relax on the final whistle and enjoy the hundreds of text messages received from supporters thanking him for bringing Davy to Wexford and helping to steer hurling in the county back among the elite of the game.

Joint captain Lee Chin put Wexford’s resurgence down to one crucial quality.

‘Belief,’ he said after the match. ‘I’ve mentioned it before. Davy has us very confident. Very confident in each other and very confident in the team and our plan.’

A mighty statement has been made.